The total number of green cards issued per year per preference category is an important data point for people waiting in line for a green card. Together with the pending I-485 inventory, we can estimate our wait time with (slightly) better accuracy.

The data below contain green card statistics released every year by the
Department of State. We re-arranged them by preference category so that they
match the format of visa bulletins. The data include both immigrant visas
issued by DOS through consular processing, and I-485 Adjustment of Status
applications processed by USCIS. Primary applicants and their derivative
dependents are all covered, including both employment-based and family-sponsored
categories. What is not included in the data is groups not subject to visa
number limitations, such as immediate relatives of U.S. citizens.

The total number of green cards issued is for a given fiscal year, which runs from October 1 to September 30. Obviously, it would be best if we had the monthly breakdown, but that information is not available. And we know the number of applications processed each month doesn't stay consistent at all throughout the year. In addition, other factors such as "visa number spill-over" can significantly change the total count from one year to another. These must be taken into consideration when the data are used for any type of calculations or analyses.

Employment-Based

ROW

China

India

Mexico

Philippines

Sub-Total

EB1

26771

4999

6672

2010

524

40976

EB2

30093

3045

10106

922

1850

46016

EB3

25047

1027

2220

3745

5263

37302

EB3-Other

1248

50

84

821

273

2476

EB4

5141

57

511

646

339

6694

EB4-Religious

2714

34

260

169

128

3305

EB5

194

65

8

14

1

282

EB5-Pilot

7

0

0

0

0

7

EB5-Regional

1930

1914

64

19

2

3929

Total-EB

93145

11191

19925

8346

8380

140987

Family-Sponsored

ROW

China

India

Mexico

Philippines

Sub-Total

F1

19444

626

461

1671

1659

23861

F2A

24044

1201

902

46551

2377

75075

F2B

18916

802

236

2000

4631

26585

F3

17309

2182

2238

1897

1638

25264

F4

39285

6435

9119

4737

4972

64548

Total-FB

118998

11246

12956

56856

15277

215333

Description:

ROW: Rest of World (All countries and regions except those listed separately, such as China-mainland born and India).

China: China-mainland born.

Employment-based:

EB1: Priority Workers

EB2: Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability

EB3: Skilled Workers and Professionals (not including Schedule A workers)